Firsts
by darkangel199113
Summary: This is a collection of one-shots of all the firsts that Daryl and Beth experience as a couple from my own point of view. See the prologue for more information!
1. Prologue

Good day to you all! Thank you for clicking onto my new project. As you can tell by the description, this is a collection of one-shots. I came up with this idea a few days ago, and I'm sure someone has probably done it before. However, I decided to go for it anyway!

This collection is a series of one-shots involving Beth and Daryl, and will most likely be full of fluffy goodness. The idea is to write about all their firsts as a couple. There is no plot, but this will have multiple chapters with no real clear end. The only coherent thing is that it will be following a sort of time line. Each chapter will sort of be connected to the last, but it probably won't be in the same place. I won't be spending a lot of time on how they got from point A to point B, because this is solely about Beth and Daryl's relationship and the evolution I feel it takes. I mostly just wanted to write their firsts together. For example, the first chapter is about the first time they cuddled. The second chapter will probably be their first kiss, so on and so forth! I'm writing this little prologue like this because I don't plan to add any notes to any of the chapters. I want this one prologue to basically explain everything you need to know, while the chapters just speak for themselves. I also don't plan to make them very long. Note how I said "plan". Even if I do plan to try and make short chapters, it may not come out that way. I tend to go on a lot with the emotions each character is feeling. Dialogue and emotions are my thing.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy this little collection and favorite, follow and review like mad!


	2. The One Where They Cuddle

The evening had been a blistering heat, making the smell of rotten flesh all the more prominent. Once the sun fell and gave way to the night, the air grew colder and left a hallow feeling in Beth's chest. The prison had fallen. Her family was scattered. Her father was dead. And out of everyone she could have been stuck with, she wasn't sure if she were annoyed or happy to be with Daryl. She knew she wouldn't have to worry too much about Walkers with him around. Daryl was strong and knew how to handle killing them. However, it seemed like that was all he knew how to do anymore. She thought that maybe he was becoming a more sensitive person from all the interactions she saw him in at the prison, but it seemed like he was just pretending to be that way. As soon as they had set up camp for the night in the middle of the woods, he didn't say anything. He barely even looked at her. She wanted to scream at him, but it wasn't his fault. She remembered his attitude on the farm. He had been a loose cannon then, but he had been easy to retreat away from people when things were too much for him to handle. Once life had settled at the prison, he seemed less likely to explode, but he had still kept his distance.

She watched him intently as he poked the fire around, only glancing around whenever the slightest noise drew his attention. When he finally looked at her, she could see how much all of this had effected him. It was the first night of the fall of their home. They had managed to get a good distance, but she could tell he was still thinking about it all like she was. Maybe he was even replaying it over and over in his head to torture himself. She saw his eyes were full of regret, and maybe something else.

When he looked away, she released a frustrated sigh. She didn't really know Daryl all that well. She had spoken to him a few times at the farm and the prison, but they had never really had a conversation. About all she really knew about him was that he was a good hunter, he had a troubled past that he never spoke of, and he enjoyed to be annoyingly quiet. His lack of speech and the cold air was starting to get on her already fragile nerves, so she stood to her feet and turned to leave.

"What are ya doin'?" he asked, finally breaking his vow of silence.

"I'm bored of sittin' here and listening to the sound of my own breath," she snapped as she turned back to face him. "I'm gonna get more stuff for the fire. It's freezin'."

He didn't reply. He simply shook his head and returned his attention back to the fire. She was amazed that he even managed to speak at all. She rolled her eyes and turned away, deciding to stay close as she gathered up a few branches and twigs. She didn't think it would make a difference, and she knew making a bigger fire would just be a bad idea. She had only collected a few twigs anyway. With an annoyed sigh, she dropped them onto the ground and kicked them away. She turned back to Daryl, not realizing he had been watching her the whole time. She didn't say anything as she plopped back down in her previous spot on the ground. She instantly wanted to cry, but she decided to hold it back. Then she vaguely wondered if maybe she was starting her period, and that's why she was being more moody than normal.

Daryl continued staring at her, but she pretended not to notice. Or at least she tried not to notice. When he wouldn't stop looking, she snapped her eyes to his and stared him head on.

"What?" she questioned with annoyance.

"Ya done havin' a temper tantrum?"

She narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me?"

"You've been huffin' around here, glarin' at everything. I'm just waitin' for you to fall to the ground and start flailing your arms and legs about."

"I'm not the one being all sullen," she retorted, trying hard to keep her calm. He wasn't wrong. She wasn't very far from rolling around on the ground and pounding her fists into it until she got her way. However, she just wasn't sure what she wanted.

"Got nothin' to say," he replied as he dropped his eyes to the fire.

Beth shook her head and laid back against the ground. She wasn't going to start a pointless argument. Besides, she was too cold to care about whether or not she was right. Her shoulders shook and she tried to keep the cold at bay by rubbing her hands up and down her arms. Her sleeveless shirt was starting to become an inconvenience.

Daryl watched her for a minute, wondering if she'd turn around and see him watching her. He had all sorts of things going through his mind about the prison and everyone else. Now he was all alone in the woods with Beth, and he didn't know what to do with her. He had never been alone in a room for five seconds with Beth. Honestly, he tried not to be alone for more than he needed to be. It wasn't as if he found her annoying, even though sometimes she could be. Especially right now. He just didn't know how to talk to a girl like her. Not only was she from a totally different generation, but sometimes he felt like she was from a completely different world. Besides, he wasn't very good at talking with the fairer sex in the first place.

As he watched her shaking form, he wasn't sure if he should continue to ignore her like he had been, or actually offer some sort of comfort. To hell if he knew how to comfort people. He barely knew how to handle calming himself down. How was he suppose to be able to handle this girl? And yet, there was something in the back of his mind telling him that maybe she was all he had left of the family he had created in this world. He had never had a chance to tell any of them how much he appreciated their friendship, even though he'd probably never be one to be so openly emotional. He knew he cared about the prison and the people he had been with for over a year. Maybe even two. He wasn't really sure anymore. All he knew was that Beth was here and the other people he knew weren't. He had to focus on her.

Without saying anything, he quietly crawled on all fours over to Beth's side. He reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder, causing her to flinch and dart up into a sitting position. He didn't react to her retraction. He kept his hand floating in the spot where her shoulder at previously been, all while racking his brain for words to express what he wanted to do.

"What is it?" she questioned with concern etched on her face. "Walkers?" she added in a whisper.

"Nah," he replied before gripping his hand into a fist and bringing it to rest on his knee. "Saw ya tremblin' and thought I'd offer ta do somethin'," he explained with a shrug of his shoulders.

"Like what? Offer body heat?" she asked as a sly grin spread across her lips. He almost wanted to wipe that grin right off her face. Although, the methods his mind came up with were far too much for him to even consider initiating with Beth.

"If ya don't want my help-" he began.

"I didn't say that," she said quickly, stopping him from finishing his statement.

He didn't say anything more. He just stared at her and waited for her to make the first move. She darted her eyes around the area, as if to make sure no one would see her about to snuggle him. Or hug him. He wasn't sure what to call it. Once she actually moved to sit between his legs, her back pressing firmly into his chest, he decided he'd call it warming her up. That was what his intentions were, right? No need to complicate the already complicated feelings he began having with her pressed against him. However, it wasn't long before she was fast asleep. He then realized that she hadn't been asleep earlier, and it made him smile to think he made her feel safe enough to sleep in his arms. As he slowly brought his arms up to drape off his bent knees, all he could think about was how annoying it would be if a Walker stumbled upon them right now.


	3. The One With The Kiss

Daryl was half concerned by the groaning noise behind him, until he remembered that Beth was the one making it. He turned away from the fire he had just put out, and stared off into the bushes where Beth had retreated to puke out whatever was left in her stomach. He was torn between feeling guilty and being greatly amused. He had told her not to drink so much, but she had insisted on bringing one for the road. She had drunk half of it before they even made camp for the night. Of course this was all after she had convinced him to go hunting for booze in the first place. He had ended up taking her to a little shack in the woods, where there was some Moonshine stocked in the shed. After getting a little wasted, having a little argument, and then talking about their worries to each other; the night had ended with her convincing him to burn the whole damn thing down. He probably should have regretted it because it was shelter for the night, but it had felt kind of liberating to just burn it. Besides, he found he couldn't say no when Beth was grinning at him like she had been all night. Her eyes just seemed to have a certain sparkle whenever her smile reached all the way to them.

It wasn't long before Beth emerged from the bushes and plopped down beside him. He couldn't help but grin at her current state, which she couldn't help but notice. She returned his grin with a glare, and he decided he liked it much better when she was smiling.

"What? Ya gonna say 'I told you so'?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes, daring him to even go there.

"Nah," he replied, and left it that. "We gotta get goin'. Won't be long before the night's events catch up to us."

Beth's expression slowly soften as she realized what he meant. The Walkers would be attracted by the remaining smoke from the dying fire. They had gotten a good distance between them and the burning shack, but she could still see a little smoke whenever she glanced behind them.

"Can we stay a moment longer?" she asked as she locked her eyes with his. "Just until my stomach settles a bit."

Daryl shrugged, his eyes staying focused on the dying fire. "Best cure for that is just to go puke some more." A grin slowly spread across his lips again. "Or to not drink at all."

"I knew you were gonna fit a 'I told you so' in there somewhere," she retorted as she crossed her arms over her chest.

He brought his eyes to her face, his grin never faltering. He didn't say anything, which only led to her smiling instead of glowering. She wasn't very good at pretending to be angry anyway.

After staring at each other in silence for a moment, Daryl decided to be the first to break eye contact. Beth continued staring at him, which he remained unaware of. As she stared at him, she started to think about last night and all the things they talked about. After his momentary breakdown, all Beth could think about was how to make him feel better. Everything he had said before he confessed that he felt responsible for everything at the prison, seemed to have faded away in light of the moment. Well, he didn't flat out say he felt responsible. He didn't have to. Just like she didn't have to tell him that she didn't see it that way. All she had to do was hug him, and that seemed to convey everything she needed to say. Just like sometimes whenever Daryl looked at her, his eyes and body language said a lot more than his words. And maybe she was reading him wrong, but she felt like right now he was trying to say something to her. She had felt that way last night as well. The way he was staring at her felt as if he was staring right into her very soul, seeking out something that he was too afraid to ask for. But Daryl wasn't afraid of anything. Or at least that was what he liked to make her believe.

"Daryl?" she began as she turned her eyes to the fire. He didn't turn his attention toward her when she spoke. He simply grunted in reply.

"There's somethin' I want to do that I should have done last night. I wanted to do it last night, actually," she added as she shifted her body about where she sat.

"What's that?" he asked casually. He had no idea what could possibly be on her mind. If only he could read her mind, he'd probably wouldn't be answering so casually.

"I'd rather show you," she replied softly.

He didn't have a chance to inquire more about what she was going on about. As soon as he turned his head in her direction, she moved toward him until there was nothing between them. His breath hitched as soon as her lips were on his in a gentle, chaste kiss. Her eyes were closed tight, and he wondered if maybe she was afraid he'd pull away. The thought crossed his mind, but was gone almost instantly when he felt her lips part ever so slightly against his own. He had thought about kissing her before. He felt bad for thinking about it, given the fact she was who she was. She was young and vulnerable. He didn't want to mess with her head, but he felt like her very presence was messing with his own mental stability. No matter how hard he tried to resist, the fact it was happening right now completely threw resistance out the window. Kissing Beth was nothing like he ever imagined it would be like. It was far better than anything he had imagined.

He closed his own eyes and pressed his lips firmly against hers. Her softness was a strong contrast against his chapped lips. He wondered just how the hell she kept them so soft. Then he found himself wondering why they tasted so sweet. Just the brief sweetness of her lips against his wasn't enough either. He found his own lips parting, and his tongue seeking to taste even more of that delicious flavor that was all her own. Without any hesitation, she allowed him to explore her mouth with his tongue. The very touch of her own tongue against his made him groan, which in turn made her moan ever so softly into his mouth. It took every ounce of his being not to press her to the ground and take things further than what she probably intended. Instead, he just pulled her closer until there was barely an inch of space between them.

After the second moan that escaped her lips, Daryl thought it best to pull away. He panted heavily as he peeled his lips away from hers unwillingly. She too found it hard to draw away, her teeth clenching onto his lower lip until she had no choice but to release it with a satisfying _pop_.

The both of them slowly opened their eyes to stare back at each other, their lips still only inches away. The proximity of their lips allowed for their warm breath to mix together, as they both tried to reclaim the precious air they'd lost during the moment. Neither one was certain when their limbs began interlocking. Beth's arms were securely around his waist, while his hands held tightly onto her hips. He was the first to release her and move away.

"We should get movin' now," said Daryl as he turned his back to her.

Beth could instantly see he was trying to play it off as if the whole thing didn't happen. She released a long sigh before moving closer and doing a repeat of their hug from the night before. She closed her eyes and pressed the right side of her face against his back. She instantly felt him tense, but she wasn't about to let the tiny spark she knew he felt fade away.

"You shouldn't have kissed me like that," she began, feeling him tense even more. "My mouth probably tastes horrible."

Daryl's body began going through an odd series of motions. After going completely still in her arms, her words slowly made him relax against her. He was planning on forgetting that ever happened, but then he actually started to get worried that she was going to get upset that he had kissed her. However, he felt relieved by her next statement, which was confusing after the previous thoughts of trying to forget this passed his mind. Maybe that was his own body trying to tell him to stop being such an idiot and just go with the flow.

With one long sigh, he gently laid a hand over hers and relaxed his body. "I dunno. Tasted pretty sweet to me."

Beth tighten her grip, and he was pretty sure he felt her grinning lips pressed against his back.


	4. The One Where They Care

**Just so no one is confused about what this chapter is, I'm going to just tell you that this is Daryl's first confession to Beth that he has feelings for her. There will be a chapter later of him first saying he loves her.**

Adjusting to life in their new surroundings was one thing, but both Daryl and Beth were finding it hard to adjust to their new feelings. After their time alone and sharing a rather intimate kiss, along with intimate parts of their past, they eventually were reunited with their former prison mates. They had all been heading toward Terminus, but everyone else had made it there before them. They discovered it wasn't all it was cracked up to be, which both Daryl and Beth were thankful to have missed out on. After leaving behind Terminus to perish with the rest of the world's horrors, they all soon decided to follow Abraham's people to Washington. Once they finally arrived, they soon found themselves in a well developed place called the Alexandria Safe-Zone.

During their arrival, there was a lot of fuss about Eugene's cure. Beth thought it would be a wonderful thing, but most everyone else was uncertain if it even existed. In the end, Eugene did confess he had lied about the whole thing. Needless to say, Beth wasn't too disappointed. Her mind was on her time spent alone with Daryl. They had shared more than just a few words. She couldn't forget their kiss and how he tried hard not to pull away from her afterwards. However, once they were reunited with everyone else, he did exactly that. He hadn't spoken to her since they were in Alexandria. Hell, he hadn't said much since they found their group. He didn't even retort when she had told him she was right. They hadn't had very much time alone then, but now Daryl was almost always by himself. It seemed as if he didn't know exactly what to do behind these walls. He was like a caged animal, looking for any way to just let loose. Not even the fact that Douglas, the man in charge, had given him a job on the wall to take down intruding Walkers made him feel less caged.

Since he was making such a point to avoid her, Beth made it a point to know when he was on duty. She waited for him by the wall, gently kicking a rock back and forth on the ground. When Daryl finally arrived, she glanced up to see an expression of indifference on his face.

"Hey," she chimed with a smile in place.

"Hey," he replied sullenly before pushing past her.

"Mind if I join you?"

"Don't matter to me."

Beth narrowed her eyes as she watched him climb up to the top of a ladder and peer over the wall. He released a sigh of annoyance before climbing back down.

"Nothing to shoot?" she asked cheekily.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Nope."

Beth released a sigh of her own before slapping him as hard as she could in his shoulder. "Daryl Dixon, what is your problem!?"

Daryl blinked a few times in confusion, utterly shocked that Beth just smacked him. She didn't even smack him lightly. It actually hurt pretty damn bad. However, he didn't want to let her know she actually could hit like a man. He didn't need her ego any larger.

"Whattya mean?" he asked as he gently rubbed his arm.

"You know what I mean," she muttered as she crossed her arms over her chest. "Ya can't just kiss a girl and then ignore her. You're giving me so many mixed signals."

"I kiss plenty of girls and ignore em'. Don't act like you're special," he spat as he shouldered past her.

Beth stared after him as he moved to climb up a different ladder. She wanted to be shocked, but she knew exactly what he was doing. He was trying to ignore the fact he cared about someone other than himself. He had taught her a lot during their time alone, one of those things being how to read the signs. She was being completely wrong about him sending mixed signals. He was sending the right kind, and she had almost missed it. He definitely cared more than he wanted her to know.

"I get it," she said as he climbed back down and landed on the ground below.

"Good. Now, go on and do somethin' else," he muttered as he turned his back to her.

"I get that you're still a coward."

Daryl stopped and turned to face her, his eyes alight with fury. She knew he was going to explode again, but she wasn't about to let him get the chance.

"You're still afraid to let people care because you think they'll just leave!" she snapped as she moved into his space. "Maybe you shouldn't think so much, Daryl. Maybe you should learn to go with your feelings instead."

Daryl stared back at her for what seemed like an eternity. As she spoke, Beth could see his eyes seem to soften somewhat. She wasn't sure if what she was saying sunk in or not. She knew he wasn't very good with words. That was why she had kissed him the way she had. She knew he'd never take the chance. She knew he'd probably wait until she were an old lady before even kissing her on the cheek. His shyness was a cute thing at times, but it was also extremely annoying as well. Beth wasn't asking for much. All she wanted was him to admit he cared.

As he stared back into her eyes, she knew then and there that he didn't have to say anything. Once again, everything she ever needed was there. All she had to do was look at him. Now all she could see was what she needed most of all: his affection for her.

"I ain't good with that stuff," he muttered as he quickly turned his gaze to the ground. "I know ya want me ta do more, but you're just gonna have ta give me time."

Beth slowly nodded her head before reaching out and taking his face in her hands. She made him look at her as a smile spread across her lips. It didn't take very long for him to return a smile of his own.

"In the meantime, just know I care about ya..."

Beth's smile only grew more affectionate as he spoke. She didn't expect him to say that, and it literally brought tears to her eyes. Daryl instantly reached forward and wiped them way with a hint of confusion on his face. They both knew he would never understand women. But most of all, Beth would definitely be one woman he'd never understand. At the very least, he could understand she cared about him the same way he cared about her.

"Just don't ignore me anymore," she said softly before gently pinching his cheek. "Or I'll hit you even harder."

Daryl couldn't help but chuckle at her gentle teasing. He deserved it, though. He was happy that she was so damned determined. He needed her to tell him to man up and just say how he felt sometimes. And maybe in time, he'd be able to tell her what he truly felt for her: love.


	5. The One With The Date

**Happy Halloween from me to you!**

It was strange to see the world shift into Fall. The leaves changed colors, and the wind blew harder. The temperature had dropped considerably, and now everyone was sporting long sleeves and jackets. Even Daryl was wearing more sleeves than usual, which was a slight disappointment to see. Of course Beth enjoyed staring at his assets. Ever since they had had their talk a few weeks back, she found herself wanting to push things one step further. Stealing chaste kisses when no one was looking just wasn't enough. She sometimes found herself attempting to push the envelope and beg for more passion. Something similar to how he had first kissed her. However, Daryl would never give in, no matter how much she could tell he wanted to. He was definitely a hard nut to crack.

Given the fact that no one really knew what their relationship was, secretly spending time together was all she managed to get from him. Since he spent a lot of time alone, it was easy for her to sneak her way into his schedule. She could handle giving him the time he needed to get use to the idea of them. She could also handle keeping it a secret, just as long as he kept talking to her. And of course, he did indeed talk to her. He talked more than she ever thought he would. He shared his thoughts and secrets with her. Well, not the darkest secrets he never even dared to speak of to himself anymore. She never wanted to pry into that part of his mind until he felt he was ready to go there. Overall, things were much better now than they had been when they first arrived to the Safe-Zone. At the very least, Daryl wasn't ignoring her anymore.

"It's Halloween tomorrow," announced Maggie as she came up behind Beth and placed a hand on her shoulder.

Beth was still eating her breakfast as she spoke. "How did ya figure that out?"

"Beth," she scolded. "Don't talk with your mouth full," she added with a roll of her eyes. She then moved to sit across the table from her. "Anyway, Rick told me. He said that they keep track of the days here."

"Oh," she replied softly, her mouth still full. When Maggie narrowed her eyes, Beth quickly swallowed her food down.

"You should go to a party or somethin'," suggested Maggie as she got to her feet once more and walked over to the sink. She began to absentmindedly clean the dishes.

"I have plans with a friend," she replied quickly. It wasn't a lie, per se. She really did have plans with a friend. Of course that friend was Daryl, but she wasn't about to tell Maggie that.

"Who?" she asked right on cue.

"Just a friend."

Maggie glanced toward her and gave her a stern look. "Better not be someone I don't approve of. I told you not to hang around some of those young men that are always hittin' on every girl they see."

"Maggie," she groaned as she pushed her empty bowl away. "Just because we live together, doesn't mean I have to listen to you."

"Fine. Go off with those shady guys," she muttered as she turned away. "Don't come cryin' to me when they try to get in your pants."

Beth rolled her eyes as she pushed herself to her feet. "Don't worry so much," she said in a softer tone as she picked up her bowl and walked to her sister's side. She leaned close and gave her a peck on the cheek before placing the bowl in the sink. Without another word, she turned on her heel and dashed out the door.

The rest of the day was spent doing her regular chores, something Beth had somewhat missed doing since the end of the world. After she finished up her business, she sought out Daryl like she usually did. And like always, he was on wall duty. There was another person there that usually took small shifts along side Daryl, but Beth never really paid him much mind. He usually gave her and Daryl the same treatment. She spent her time talking to Daryl and trying her darnedest to pry information out of him about what he had planned for them tomorrow night.

"You know it's Halloween," she stated as she stood at the bottom of the ladder, blocking his way to get down.

"Does it matter?" He didn't look down at her as he spoke.

"No," she began. "I just thought I'd tell you. Now we know tomorrow is October 31st. I wanna remember it in case whatever you have planned is special."

Daryl didn't reply. He didn't move either. Beth stared at his stiff back and wondered if maybe she had guessed right. Whatever he had in mind, she wasn't getting it out of him any time soon. She kept trying and trying for the rest of the day, and well into the next morning. However, he still wouldn't budge. All he did was shake his head and say, "you'll see."

When the sun finally fell and the children took to the streets to go trick-or-treating, Beth made her way outside. She smiled as a few children rushed past her in poorly stitched costumes. She didn't care if their fairy wings were made of hangers. All that mattered was that these little kids were getting a chance to be little kids again. It made her happy to see that the world could be the way it use to be.

The air was a little chilly, so she had put on a sweater under her jacket. She pulled the sleeves down over her hands before taking off toward Daryl's humble abode. When they had arrived at the Safe-Zone, Daryl wasn't too interested in keeping a house. He said he had never really been much of a "house" person before the world ended, and he certainly wasn't about to start now. However, he wound up changing his mind when he found a tiny little house on the edge of town. It wasn't just perfect for him, it was a perfect place for them both. It made it easier to keep things in secrecy, just the way he liked it right now.

As soon as she stepped onto his porch, the door opened and he reached out a hand from the shadows. Beth felt a little spooked at the fact he wasn't stepping completely outside, but she put her hand in his all the same. Before he pulled her inside, she took one last glance around to make sure no one could see them together.

"Close your eyes," he whispered into her ear from behind. She hadn't even realized he moved behind her. She could feel his warm breath against the back of her neck, sending a chill down her spine.

While Daryl swiftly closed the door, Beth shut her eyes tight and placed her hands over them. "I don't know why you want me to close my eyes. It's dark enough in here," she muttered. "Why don't you have any lights on? Are you planning to seduce me, Mr. Dixon?"

"Would you stop," he muttered in return against her ear, as he placed his hands onto her shoulders. "Just walk till I tell ya ta stop."

"Okay, Mr. Dixon," she chimed, a grin spreading across her lips. She liked the fact that the darkness concealed her expression, because she was sure he'd be glaring at her for it. However, unknown to her, he was wearing quite the blush from her previous statement. Now he was the one that was glad for the darkness.

She began moving forward as he had instructed, hitting her feet into the furniture a few times on the way. Even though it didn't hurt, she ended up cursing a few times in response. Much to her dismay, Daryl couldn't help but poke fun at her expense every time she uttered a curse word. He finally made her come to a stop, his hands slowly loosening on her shoulders. She heard him move from behind her, making her uncertain of whether he was now in front of her or somewhere else entirely.

"Ya can open your eyes now," he said softly, indicating his face wasn't very far from her own.

An excitement began to churn in her stomach as she opened her eyes and removed her hands at the same time. Before her sat a table, decked in paper plates, plastic utensils and packaged food. In the middle was a lit candle and vase with a single rose. As Beth took it all in, it didn't take her long to realize exactly what it was he had set up for them.

"Daryl," she began with the biggest grin. "Are you askin' me out on a date?"

"Does it look like I asked ya?" he retorted as he moved to sit down. "I kind of just made ya do it."

"A date against my will?" she asked as she sat down opposite to him. "Never knew you could be so romantic."

"Ya tell anyone and you won't get a second one."

Beth rolled her eyes before she grabbed a package of crackers and opened it. Daryl managed a small smile as she leaned over and placed two crackers on his plate. She then grabbed the can of peaches he had sat out and opened it with the can opener that had been sitting on top of it. After she served out the peaches, she sat back against her chair and quietly nibbled her crackers. She wasn't really that hungry. Maggie had prepared a large meal before she had left. However, that wasn't why she was nibbling her crackers so slowly. She just wanted to savor the moment for as long as possible. It was the moment Daryl Dixon had asked her out for their first date.

"I guess you'll be needin' a calender," he muttered out of the blue. When she glanced at him with confusion written in her eyes, he smirked in return. "Ta mark today."

"Right," she replied sheepishly. "To mark today as the day we officially became somethin' more?" she prompted, not entirely sure if she was stating it or asking him if she were correct to assume they were a couple. After all, calling Daryl her boyfriend just didn't seem to suit him. Calling him "her man" sounded much better, and made her womanly urge itch in anticipation for something she never thought she'd want so badly.

Daryl tapped his fingers on the table, drawing her attention away from her dirty thoughts. "Yeah," he replied slowly. "The day we became somethin' more."

Beth's lips slowly turned into a smile. She brought her gaze down to the table and saw he was tentatively reaching his hand toward her now. She took that as her cue to place her hand on his. It wasn't long before their fingers were entwined, and he was pulling her closer. Before she knew it, he had pulled her out of her chair and into his lap to partake in their usual kissing spree. Nothing more ever happened, but Beth was certain she would like to go further someday. For now, she was happy with his sweet, passionate lips moving across her own lips, and sometimes down the rest of her body until her breathy moans made him stop. Someday he wouldn't stop, and she knew she wouldn't mind in the least.


	6. The One Where They Make Love

"I can't believe I'm doing this," whispered Beth as she stared intently at the bedroom door. It had been a few days since their Halloween date. Beth was making it a habit to come over and steal a little of Daryl's time before Maggie began to worry about her. Of course every night she asked where she was going, and every night she told her the same thing.

"I'm going to see my friend." That's really all it took to make her believe her. After all, it gave her plenty of alone time with Glenn; something they'd been begging for lately. Beth definitely needed to find a way to leave her sister's place, because she was getting far too old be bunking it with her. However, finding a new house to stay in was the furthest thing from her mind tonight. Beth had other plans in mind, all of which involved Daryl Dixon.

Beth took a deep breath before sitting on the edge of the bed and staring at the wall opposite of her. Soon she was focusing in on the sounds around her, her eyes closed tight. When she heard the sound of the front door squeaking open, her eyes shot open as well. She awkwardly attempted to position herself on the bed, hoping to look enticing. However, she was certain she just looked uncomfortable. She had never been this under dressed around Daryl before, so she was certain a little bit of her nervousness was showing. All she was wearing was one of his shirts and her underwear. She had planned it all in her head. She was going to ask him to go all the way this time. She knew she was ready. She just wasn't sure if her body language was giving off that impression.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of items hitting the floor. She decided to sit up on the bed, realizing he was taking off his shoes and putting his crossbow away. She released a long sigh as she waited patiently for him to enter the room. She counted minutes off in her head until she heard nothing more but the sound of her own thoughts. She turned her eyes to the door and waited, sighing impatiently. It took her another minute to realize he wasn't making it to the bedroom.

"This isn't going like I wanted," she muttered as she rose to her feet and quietly shuffled to the door. She tried to remain just as quiet as she pushed the bedroom door open and peeked into the living room through the small crack. As soon as she peered into the room, her eyes fell upon Daryl's form on the couch, eyes closed and clothes in place. It wouldn't be the first time he slept in his clothes, but Beth didn't intend for him to sleep at all right now.

In one swift motion, Beth pushed open the door and moved to the side of the couch. She was already feeling bold, so she decided to take one step further and sit down upon his hips. It didn't take him long to open his eyes. As soon as he did, he sat up and abruptly caused her to fall off and onto the ground.

"The hell you doin'?" he asked once he realized it was her. "Thought you weren't comin' over tonight."

Beth sat up, her legs tucked under her. "I changed my mind."

Daryl began to reach toward her, but stopped when he saw what she was wearing. Her eyes came to his and a smile spread across her lips. Now that he saw it, he couldn't look away. Beth was wearing _his _shirt and a pair of panties. If her intentions weren't clear, then he'd have to be a damn idiot not to see.

"Daryl?" she asked softly. "If this is too much, I can go."

She began to get to her feet, but he quickly put a hand on her shoulder and stopped her in place. "Don't," he uttered gruffly. She seemed a bit taken aback by the tone in his voice, but that only made him all the more excited. It was obvious she had planned something, but he didn't intend to let her see her plans through.

Without saying a word, he traced his hand down her arm until he found her wrist. He gripped her tight enough to pull her weight from the floor and back into place on top of him. For a moment, neither one really moved. Beth wasn't sure if he was waiting for her to make the first move, or if he was simply thinking on what to do first. Suddenly, she felt his hands on her waist and his thumbs began to trace lazy circles on her ribs. She stared into his eyes as he continued the motion. She decided that it wasn't fair to be the only one half naked, and so her hands found their way to the buttons on his shirt. Once his chest was exposed, a few more minutes were dedicated to her touching him while he moved his hands to the curve of her back. Flesh against flesh, he just wanted her closer. Without any warning, he pulled her down against him and caused her to release a sigh. He wasn't sure if it was a good sigh or a bad one. Either way, his focus was elsewhere now. Both of them were focused on exploring each other with their hands, touching places neither one had touched before.

Beth finally pushed his shirt away and began to unbuckle the belt on his jeans. His hands found their place on her rump, squeezing slightly just to get a reaction. A grin spread across his lips as she gasped, her face still rather close to his chest and her breath warm against his skin. Finding the position hard to deal with, she moved away in order to see her hands tugging at his pants. He didn't mind lifting his hips to let her pull them away, which in turn pressed his hardness against her in a way that made her bite back a moan. Maybe this was the part where someone suggested moving to the bedroom, but neither one managed to find their voice. Between exploring each other and staring deeply into the other's eyes, it was hard to manage anything. Daryl seemed to be okay with it, but Beth knew she was finding it hard to breathe regularly. It was an unspoken knowledge that Beth had only done something like this once. Her first time hadn't been very satisfying for her, but just looking at Daryl's expression right now almost had her on the edge of euphoria.

"Beth?" he mumbled, trying hard to keep his voice from sounding anymore urgent than it already did. "Are you sure?"

A soft chuckle escaped her lips. She didn't respond, though. Instead, she answered him by grabbing the hem of her shirt and pulling it over her head. Before it even hit the ground, Daryl's hands found home upon her petite breasts. It was amazing just how perfectly his hands fit around them. The contrasts of her smooth skin to his rough hands was even more noticeable now. He didn't bother to ask her again. If she weren't sure about this, she wouldn't have walked into his house wearing only her underwear. She knew what she wanted from him, and he appreciated her for it. She always spoke her mind, even if sometimes he didn't want to hear the truth.

His thumbs began the same circular motion he had done earlier, only now upon her nipples. He suddenly began having a strong urge to touch every part of her with his lips. He'd already explored her with his hands. All except her most private area. In due time, he'd get there. For now, he moved one hand aside and took a perky nipple between his lips. His other continued kneading her other breast, eliciting soft whimpers from Beth's sweet mouth.

"Daryl," she uttered, almost as a plea. He slowly roamed his eyes upward to hers, and what he saw was all he needed to make him move his hand from her breast and toward her panties. He slipped his hand into the fabric and what he felt made him groan with anticipation. He knew she wanted him, but he didn't know just how much she had wanted this until he felt just how moist she was.

Not being able to continue with the slowness they were going at, Daryl began rubbing his index finger along her slit. They both seemed to groan at almost the same time, and instantly Beth pulled his lips from her breast. She then roughly pressed her lips against his, prompting him to slide his finger inside her as his tongue entered her mouth. As sweet as she tasted, he longed to taste her where his finger roamed.

There was no point in dragging out the foreplay any longer. He was beyond hard, and she was beyond lubricated. She was tight around just his finger, and it only made him want to be inside her even more. As if sensing his longing, Beth's fingers moved from his face and down to the remaining clothing that concealed him away. He lifted his hips in the same fashion as before, and she swiftly pulled them down. Her eagerness was showing, making her clumsy as she tried to move to get his underwear down his legs, only to get them tangled at his ankles. Her movement caused his finger to slip from her, but she was too focused on getting his underwear away to notice the absence. He made a split second decision at that moment, by grabbing her around the waist and turning her onto her back. The sudden change in position caused her to gasp, making him grin once more.

As he stared down upon her body, he instantly knew that there was no way he could stop himself now. Now that she was willingly offering everything to him, he was greedily going to take it. The first thing that he needed to take was those panties. As he kicked his underwear away, he grabbed the waistband of her own and pulled them down effortlessly. The moment his eyes laid upon her completely naked body, he could feel a certain muscle spasm uncontrollably against his thigh. She could feel it too, which caused her eyes to finally behold just how large he was. She felt slightly nervous looking at it, but knew that it wouldn't hurt quite as much as it had her first time.

"I thought you should know, even if you probably already do," she began in a soft tone. "I've done this before."

"Mm," he uttered as he brought his eyes to meet hers. "Well, now you're doin' it with me."

A blush spread across her porcelain cheeks, and he wondered why that seemed to make her so red. He wanted to say more. He wanted her to know he was the only one she'd be doing it with for now on, because sometimes he could be possessive. And right now, while looking at her, all he could think about was how she was his and no one else's. He just wanted to hear her scream his name.

"Daryl?" she questioned softly.

Daryl didn't answer, though. He ran his hand down the side of her body, receiving a shiver before coming to a stop at her hip. His other hand disappeared between them as he grabbed his dick and positioned himself. Before he could continue any further, Beth called his name again. He then raised a curious brow, wondering if she had changed her mind at the worst possible second. However, she was gesturing toward the shirt she had been wearing. He sighed before reaching down and going through the pocket. He felt something there, and so he grabbed it. He then pulled out a package and stared down at her with a shake of his head. It was a condom, which he swiftly tore open with his teeth and began placing upon his throbbing penis. He was glad she was thinking, but he didn't want to think right now. And when he finally plunged into her, he definitely didn't want to think at all.

The feeling of being inside her was hard to describe. He never wanted to describe it. He wanted to keep it as his own secret. Her walls tightly forming around him. Her back arching into him. Her lips parting ever so slightly as his name escaped her lips. He knew he wasn't going to last very long, because he couldn't really say the last time he'd been with anyone. And not one girl he'd ever slept with could compare to the feeling of Beth Greene.

Slowly, his hands roamed over her body as her own grabbed his shoulders. He tried to keep a slow pace to make it last longer, but Beth seemed to want more. She wiggled her hips around and wrapped her legs around his waist in a choke hold. She tried to pull him along with the movement she was making, and he was finding it hard to resist her. It wasn't long before he gave in and began picking up the speed, pulling all the way out of her and diving all the way in with one motion. Her legs began inching up his back, making a different angle for them each time. Eventually he leaned closer to her with the intentions to kiss her. However, he hadn't heard her scream yet.

Beth's hands moved from his shoulders to his neck. She started to have the same idea, trying to pull his lips close to hers. Instead, he dodged her lips and pressed his into her neck. He began to lick up her neck and to her earlobe, making her release tiny little whimpers. He felt her nails gently indent on his neck as her moans built up with each nibble and thrust. He thought he'd be the first to go at this pace, but he suddenly felt her walls contract as she reached her inevitable peak. As soon as she released her orgasm, he got his wish of hearing her scream his name right into his ear. With the combination of her sweet voice and overwhelming orgasm, Daryl felt himself give way to his pleasure and release into the condom. He didn't stop pumping into her until he knew they had both finished, leaving them both grinding helplessly against each other in a vein attempt to ride out that wave of pleasure.

Now all Daryl felt was Beth's hot breath and sweaty palms. He found himself kissing her neck a few more times before pulling away to look her in the eyes. The dreamy look on her face was almost enough to make him hard again. He then leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers in a slow, humble kiss.

"Mm," she mumbled against his lips. When he pulled back, she was smiling. "That was nice."

"Yeah," he replied. There wasn't much else he could say about it. Amazing? Mind numbing? Those were some good choices, but he didn't want to give her a big head. After all, he was the one doing all the work.

"Next time, I wanna be on top."

Daryl raised a brow at her. "When's next time?"

"How about in ten minutes?" she asked with a grin as she put her hands against his shoulders and turned the tides. She was now straddling him, his flaccid dick still inside her. However, she could feel it twitching. The sudden action made her sigh.

"You're gonna make me do this every night, aren't you?"

Beth's grin grew ever wider. "Too old to handle me?"

"Psh," he said, releasing a puff of air. "Ya ain't seen nothin' yet."

"I can't wait then."

Daryl stared up at her grin and instantly regretted saying that. He felt his member start to ache at the thought. And yet, at the same time, it seemed just as happy about the idea as well. After a few more minutes past, he really didn't have much to say anymore as she took control and started riding him like a cowgirl. One thing was for sure, he was never going to be bored with Beth around.


	7. The One Where Glenn Finds Out

The smell of burning food was the first thing to draw Beth from bed. She shuffled her way from her room and into the kitchen; pajamas, bare feet and all. As soon as she entered the room, she wasn't sure if she should smile or turn away in fear. Standing in front of the stove was Glenn, wearing an apron and sporting a set of over mitts.

"I'm a little concerned," she announced.

Glenn obviously hadn't heard her approach. As soon as she spoke, he jumped an inch and threw whatever was in his pan onto the floor.

"Sorry," she added as she moved around the kitchen table. She then grabbed a plate from the counter and used it to scoop the burnt concoction off the floor without burning herself.

"Ah, no. It's not your fault I can't cook to save my life," he replied as he moved to take the plate from her.

"Why are you cookin' anyway? _What_ were you cookin'?"

"It was suppose to be hash browns. We had too many potatoes..." he uttered as he turned away from her. "I was doing it because Maggie had a long night at work. Thought it would be nice for her to wake up and not have to cook."

"How sweet," Beth said as she took a seat at the table.

"Yeah. Sweet gesture turned disaster."

"Want me to do it?"

Glenn turned around and sighed. "Why not. I'll probably burn the kitchen down the second time."

Beth replied with a smile as Glenn removed the apron and handed it to her. She stared at the front that said, "kiss me, I'm Irish" and tried not to laugh out loud. Instead, she shook her head and gave a little snort of laughter under her breath before pulling it. Glenn silently took her place at the table, occasionally glancing toward the door. Beth didn't need to read minds to know Glenn was worried Maggie would appear and ruin her surprise. She couldn't help but grin as she began peeling potatoes. Glenn was just so sweet at times. Of course thinking of Maggie and Glenn's relationship got her thinking about Daryl. He was sweet at times as well. Their first date had been the most sweetest thing a guy had ever done for her.

Jimmy never took her out. Zack had never offered her anything. Daryl was the first guy to ever make her feel special. He made her feel spoiled even. He'd been extra attentive lately as well. He didn't try to shower her with affection every minute of the day. When they were alone, however, he was very handsy. She wasn't complaining, though. She had started it by coming over to his place in the middle of the night in nothing but her underwear and his t-shirt. Now he couldn't keep his hands off of her. She'd be lying if she said she didn't like it.

"Beth?" chimed Glenn as he tapped his fingers on the table.

"Yeah?" she replied, keeping her back to him. Her face was slowly starting to turn a fine shade of pink. The last thing she wanted was Glenn questioning her random embarrassment.

"I've been meaning to ask you something," he began as his tapping fingers grew louder. "I was looking through the drawer of the bedside table in my room last night, and I discovered something. Would you happen to know anything about missing condoms?"

Beth's hand instantly stopped, the peeler falling from it and into the sink with a clatter. She quickly cleared her throat and grabbed the peeler once more.

"Beth?" Glenn questioned with concern in his voice.

"I don't know. Maybe you guys have been using too many?" she suggested as she finished peeling the potato and began chopping it up into thin pieces.

"Beth," he stated more firmly. "You don't have to lie about it. If you're using them it's okay. Maggie was telling me that you have a special friend you keep seeing every night."

Beth released a long sigh before placing the potato down and moving over to the cabinets. She opened one and pulled out a bowl. She could hear Glenn's fingers come to a halt and feel his piercing gaze on the back of her neck. However, she remained quiet as she moved to the sink and turned on the cold water.

"You probably forgot to soak it in cold water," she began as she filled the bowl. "Then you pat it dry and squeeze out whatever water is left."

"Beth."

"Glenn, I don't really wanna talk about my sex life with you."

"I know it's awkward and all, but Maggie asked me to ask you about it if I saw you first."

"Okay," she said softly as she placed the bowl in the sink and turned off the water. She then dropped the slices of potato into the bowl before turning to face him. "Yes. I took them."

Glenn fidgeted slightly under her gaze. "At least you're being safe."

"Are ya gonna ask who it is? I'm sure Maggie wants to know, right?"

"Well, yeah. I guess that's always nice," he replied as his eyes started darting around the room. "Besides, Thanksgiving is coming up this week. She'll probably want to invite him."

"Don't bother," she stated firmly as she grabbed a spoon and turned around. She then began furiously stirring the potatoes around in the bowl.

With her back toward him once more, he brought his gaze back to her. "Who is it then?"

Beth released a long sigh. "I can't."

"You can't what?"

"I can't tell you that. Maggie can't know."

"Why not?"

"Because she'll just freak out and ruin everything."

"Beth?" he questioned softly. "Who is it? Who could you possibly be sleeping with that would upset her so much?"

"Daryl, okay!" she snapped as she dropped the spoon in the sink and turned around to face him.

"D-Daryl?" he repeated, his mouth agape.

Beth stared at him with her own mouth open slightly, the same amount of shock on her face that was on his. Glenn didn't say anything else. He didn't move either. Beth began to awkwardly fiddle with the hem of the apron before the sound of Maggie yawning drew her eyes to the doorway. She stretched her arms above her head before shuffling to Glenn's side and kissing his cheek.

"Good mornin'," she muttered against his cheek before turning to Beth. "What are you two up to?"

"Hash browns," uttered Glenn as he finally turned his face back to normal. He looked up at Maggie, an awkward smile on his lips. "Beth was making hash browns."

"Awe," cooed Maggie as she moved to Beth's side and stared into the sink. "I do love potatoes. Seems that's all we got."

"Yeah," replied Beth with a smile as she turned around and resumed cooking.

Glenn didn't say anything else. Beth merely smiled every time Maggie asked her a question. After a while, silence was all that could be heard. Beth didn't know what had possessed her to tell Glenn like that. With Thanksgiving only a few days away, it wouldn't be long before everyone was together in one big room. She was certain everyone would know before the end of the day. After all, Glenn wasn't very good at keeping secrets. And since Maggie was none the wiser, she'd be the first one he told. Keeping secrets from Maggie was like keeping alcohol from an alcoholic. Glenn just couldn't do it. And now all Beth could think about was what Daryl would say when he found out their secret was out of the bag.


	8. The One Where Everyone Finds Out

**Happy Thanksgiving to all that celebrate it! I wanna say how thankful I am to the community that added this story to their...community! I'm glad you enjoy it so far. I also wanna let you know that I promise to get back to just Beth and Daryl in the next chapter.**

"You told who?" barked Daryl, his face only inches away from Beth's.

"I told Glenn," she replied calmly. "It slipped."

"Yeah. Just like when he let slip the barn was full of Walkers," he muttered as he slowly backed away from her. "Can't even keep Maggie's secrets. What makes ya think he'll keep yours?"

"He will."

"He can't."

"He will, Daryl!" she said more firmly.

"Ahem," chimed Maggie.

Both Beth and Daryl turned their attention to the eldest Greene, standing at the bottom of the porch steps. A smile was on her lips as she climbed to the top, both of them quickly parting to opposite sides of the deck. She glanced to Beth first, then traveled her gaze over to Daryl.

"Glad ya could make it, Daryl," she announced as she turned her body completely to face him. He merely nodded his head and issued a grunt, arms crossed defensively in front of him.

"Everyone will be here in a few minutes."

"Sounds good," he muttered before shuffling into the house quickly.

When Maggie glanced to Beth, she gave a shrug of her shoulders. "Bad day at work."

"Every day's a bad day when you're Daryl Dixon."

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"I just mean he's always moody, you know?"

"Yeah. I guess," she said softly before moving inside as well.

Maggie released a long sigh before turning around, hands on her hips. "Well, we have the dysfunctional family ready for the occasion. Now all we need is the alcohol."

Glenn was standing before her, bags dangling from his hands and arms. "Cut em' some slack. It's hard to readjust to normalcy."

"I know," muttered Maggie as she moved down a step and grabbed a few bags from his hands. "I just want our first holiday together to be special."

"It will be. After," he added with a grin as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers.

"Then why don't cha take it inside," suggested Rick as he stepped up behind Glenn, a grin on his lips.

"Why don't you take these inside?" offered Glenn as he turned and held out the bags.

After more witty banter, the three of them made their way inside. Carl wasn't too far behind. However, once they entered the house, Beth and Daryl stopped talking and looked as if they had just been caught with their hands in the cookie jar. Maggie stared them down, but neither one said anything. Beth placed a smile on her lips and began speaking to Rick and Carl, offering to take the bags for them to the kitchen. What was even weirder was the look Glenn gave her when Maggie glanced his way. She raised a brow at him after Beth left the room, but he quickly darted off and pretended to be occupied with unpacking the food from the bags. If Maggie didn't know any better, she would have thought there was a big secret she didn't know anything about. Given Glenn's history with secrets, Maggie intended to get to the bottom of it before the night was over.

One by one, everyone else began to arrive. Carol. Michonne. Tara. Abraham. Rosita. Eugene. All of them came. It wasn't long before the house was buzzing with energy. Beth found herself pulled into conversation with Michonne and Rosita, while Daryl stood away from the crowd talking with Rick. Beth tried not to stare for too long in Daryl's direction, but Maggie caught her nonetheless. Before she could ask with her eyes what she couldn't with her mouth, Beth turned and headed into the kitchen. It wasn't long after that that the food was ready and everyone was sitting around the table. Maggie and Beth then prompted everyone to bow their heads and say grace with them.

"Dear Lord," began Maggie, her eyes fully open and directed in Beth's direction. Everyone else, however, had their heads low and their eyes closed. "We thank you for this meal we are about to receive, and for the fact we can even have a Thanksgiving this year. Bless everyone in our family, and the family we have lost over the years. Most of all, help us to stay together and to never betray one another's trust. Amen."

"Amen," everyone mumbled at once. All except for Beth. Her "amen" came shortly after she rose her head and made eye contact with her sister. As they stared each other down, everyone began digging into their food.

"Wait," called Maggie as she turned her gaze to everyone. Loud groans began to fill the room, but she glared them all down. "There's just one more thing. We all have to say what we're thankful for before we eat."

"I'm thankful for the meal I wish I was eating!" called Tara as she plopped a big glob of mashed potatoes onto her plate.

"I'm thankful that we don't have secrets," stated Maggie as she turned toward Glenn. "Right?"

Glenn swallowed hard before his eyes traveled to where Beth sat on the opposite side of the table. She slowly shook her head, which Maggie instantly caught out of her peripheral vision.

"Right!?" Maggie repeated as she grabbed Glenn by the chin and turned him to face her. Everyone became silent as they watched them in socked interest.

"R-right. No secrets, Maggie," he uttered as he stared into her eyes.

"You're a horrible liar, Glenn," she snapped as she let go of his chin. "And I know you're hidin' somethin' from me. Somethin' to do with Beth because you keep lookin' at her!"

"Maggie," began Rick solemnly.

"Don't," she snapped as she turned to Rick. "Don't interrupt. I just wanna know."

Maggie turned her attention back to Glenn once more. All eyes were now on him, and all he could do was look around the room helplessly. He caught Daryl's attention, but Daryl didn't seem to be showing any signs of concern towards the situation. If he actually was concerned, he was really good at keeping it to himself.

"Glenn?" said Maggie firmly, her arms crossed defiantly over her chest.

"There's nothing," he stated as he shot to his feet. "I-I can't...it's just that...and she," he said as he turned his eyes on Beth. "Beth...Beth and Daryl are having sex!" he blurted out.

Maggie's arms instantly dropped to her sides. Everyone in the room instantly split their gaze between Beth and Daryl. Daryl still looked as if nothing had phased him, but at the same time was glaring daggers in Glenn's direction. As for Beth, she was desperately trying to fade away under the table as she slowly leaned lower and lower in her chair.

"Well, more like dating," added Glenn, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen.

"Beth?" questioned Maggie softly as she turned her gaze on her. She then quickly turned to Daryl.

Daryl shook his head before quietly getting to his feet and leaving the room. Beth sat up straight in her chair and pushed to her feet. Maggie quickly grabbed her by the wrist, preventing her from following after him.

"Beth?" she repeated more firmly. A stern look greeted Beth when she glanced at her sister.

"What? You wanna know if Glenn's tellin' the truth?" she asked as she pulled her hand away. "Yeah. He is."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because..." she trailed off as her eyes fell away.

"Because why?"

"Because!" she snapped as she pushed the chair out of her way. "Daryl didn't want to yet."

Maggie stared at her with a mixture of understanding and disappointment. Beth couldn't really tell which one she was trying to convey. Honestly, she didn't want to hear what Maggie was going to say next. She didn't want her to try and tell her how wrong Daryl and her were for each other. She knew she didn't care about the age difference. Maggie was judgmental, but she wasn't ignorant. The only thing she'd judge was the fact Daryl was a hard man to care about. Beth didn't want to hear it, though. Instead, she slowly backed away until she was at the doorway. She then turned around and quickly followed after Daryl, leaving everyone completely dumbfounded.

Maggie released a long sigh as she leaned back against her chair. Glenn stared at her for a moment before sitting back down in his own. They exchanged a brief look, everything they needed to say to each other being there in their eyes. Maggie then reached over and took Glenn's hand before glancing back to everyone else.

Tara cleared her throat. "Definitely feels like Thanksgiving now. Ain't Thanksgiving until someone's yellin' at someone else for whatever horrible decision they made."

"It isn't horrible," stated Maggie softly. "Not really. I mean, it's kind of obvious when ya think about it. They love each other."

Glenn raised a curious brow at her. "You're okay with it?"

"No," she muttered disdainfully as she shot a glare to Glenn. "I'm not okay with them lyin' about it. But, I am okay with them being together. Just wish Beth let me say that."

"Or maybe someone should have picked a better time to announce it to the group," stated Michonne in her soft, yet firm tone.

"Ha ha," muttered Glenn awkwardly. "Sorry."

"I think it's nice," added Rosita.

"And I think I'm dying of hunger. Let's eat!" shouted Abraham before digging into his food.

Rosita rolled her eyes. "And I think I just lost my appetite. Can you at least eat like a human being?"


	9. The One With The Argument

**I just wanna pop in here to say sorry this took so long. Also, sorry it's really depressing! It needed to be done in order for the next one-shot to happen. I know they've argued before, but this is their firsts as a couple! Therefore, this argument is special!**

It had been just a few short days since Glenn spilled the secret to every person that Daryl and Beth considered family. Ever since that night, Daryl had made it a personal mission to avoid everyone. He even avoided her. It seemed as if he tried extra hard to avoid even looking at Beth. She wasn't sure what to make of it yet. She knew he was easy to scare, much like a horse. Running away from his issues just seemed better than dealing with them head on. He didn't want everyone staring at him like he was a dirty old man, and he had expressed it to her many times. However, she just never saw it that way. She knew once it was out, she'd be more relieved than annoyed. After talking to Maggie the next day, she was beyond thrilled to know that no one really gave two shits about their love life. Daryl had no reason to worry, and yet he wouldn't give her the chance to say that...

After spending the last two days trying to get his attention and failing, Beth finally decided to cut out the middle man and visit him at home. She didn't want to stomp up to his door and demand him to get over it. It wasn't in Daryl's nature to just get over things. She hoped he'd just come to his senses and approach her on his own accord, but she was losing faith in that happening. In the end, she decided that the only way to get his attention was to knock on his door.

After the third knock and he still didn't answer, Beth was tempted to turn and leave. However, she heard movement inside and knew for a fact he was off wall duty that afternoon. She took in a deep breath and pounded her fist hard into the wooden door. If she had to, she'd just waltz right in uninvited. She didn't want to be pushy, but he was making it difficult for her to be anything but.

Suddenly, the lock on the other side of the door clicked. Daryl had never locked his door before. This made doubt settle in the pit of her stomach, knowing full well that he only locked it to keep her out.

The door creaked open and stopped short, only allowing her to see half of Daryl's face. "What?"

"Aren't you going to let me in?"

"Nah. Just say what ya gotta say and go."

"Daryl," she snapped as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I know you're upset about Thanksgiving, but you promised you wouldn't ignore me again."

Beth noticed the shrug of his shoulders and almost wanted to scream. She then grabbed the edge of the door and pulled against it until he released his hold on it. She stumbled back a bit, but managed to keep her footing. Now that she could see him more clearly, she realized he looked rugged and exhausted look on his face. His hair was even more shaggy than usual, if that were even possible, and his facial hair had grown out. Ever since their arrival at the Safe-Zone, Daryl had tried to keep his beard trimmed down a bit. Especially after Beth commented that she wasn't fond of the feeling his scruffy cheek had against her own skin every time she rubbed her cheek against his or kissed him.

"You look like you haven't slept in weeks," she commented as she reached her hand out to touch his cheek. He moved away before she was even an inch away.

"Ya need ta go."

"What I need to do is talk to you."

"Ain't nothin' ta talk about."

"Bullshit," she stated firmly as she moved to stand in his personal space. It was his own technique. He had told her it was his way of seeming intimidating without having to try too hard. For Beth, however, it just made her seem overly emotional. It suited the moment, given the fact she was feeling a multitude of emotions ranging from angry to hurt.

"You didn't even give anyone a chance to say anything about us."

"I don't wanna know what they gotta say," he muttered as he put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her back gently. "And ya can't get under my skin with stuff I taught ya."

Beth narrowed her eyes as he turned her around by the shoulders and pushed her back into the streets outside his house. She quickly turned to face him, putting her foot between the frame and the door when he attempted to close it. He wanted to feel bad for the slight pain he saw register on her face from getting her foot slammed between the door, but he managed to remain stoic. He averted his eyes from her and tried not to let her see what was clearly written in them. He knew he was being irrational about all of this. However, he just didn't want to face the rejection. He didn't want to see the looks. No matter what Beth had to say, he just couldn't get the images from his mind of everyone staring at him with disgust and disdain. It didn't matter that Beth was nineteen, at the very least. As long as his mind plagued him with images of his friends looking down on him for having an intimate relationship with Beth, he was going to push away. He was going to build those walls up again and never let them down. Ever.

"Daryl, if you just let me-"

"No," he said sternly. He knew she hated when he talked down to her. If making her feel like a kid was what it took, he'd do it. "Stop bein' a brat and just accept it. I'm done with ya. It was fun. Get over it."

Beth's eyes widen for a split second as she pulled her foot back. "You don't mean that. You're just tryin' to make me feel bad."

He didn't respond. Instead, he stared her down. Beth moved closer and grabbed his face between her hands, getting ready to prove him wrong. She moved closer to press her lips to his, but he quickly turned his face to the side. As the look of rejection washed over her expression, Daryl almost wanted to grab her and pull her into his arms. He hated making her feel bad, but he was just too worried about her reputation to care about her emotions...

"Or maybe you really do mean it," she mumbled as she quickly backed away. "I'm sorry I wasted your time, Mr. Dixon."

"Beth," he began, only to get cut off by her stern glare. He watched with uncertainty as she turned on her heel and walked away. She didn't cry. She didn't run. She simply walked, not once giving a backward glance to the idiot that just broke her heart.


	10. The One Where Daryl's Jealous

When Beth meant she didn't cry anymore, she really meant it. That was what Beth was particularly good at. She always kept her word. The only time she truly let herself go was when the weight of her father's death had been too much to handle. After all, the prison was gone, her father had just been beheaded before her very eyes, and she had no idea where her sister was. After that one momentary slip into depression, Beth had refused to cry. It had been exactly a week since Daryl had told her it was over. She took extra measures to be even more absurdly polite and happy in front of him. Her mother had always told her that the best way to get under people's skin was to show them they didn't bother you. Be extremely nice. Be extremely you.

Maggie, on the other hand, found it extremely annoying. After Beth had finally broke down and told her about what happened between her and Daryl, Maggie was torn down the middle of wanting to beat the crap out of Daryl, and wanting to just force them to make up. She knew it was highly unlikely she'd beat Daryl at anything. So she decided the best course of action was to somehow make Daryl make a move. Unfortunately, Beth had made it very clear that their relationship sparked from every move she made. The only way Maggie was going to make Daryl do anything was through trickery, and there was no one better at tricking than her.

It didn't take her long to find him. Daryl was easier to find now that they were in the Safe-Zone. He was either on the wall or at home. Today he was on the wall, which she was slightly thankful for. She hadn't been inside of his house yet. As far as Maggie knew, Beth was the only one that had been in his man cave. She always knew he liked his privacy, but she never really knew until now.

"Daryl!" she called up to him from the foot of the ladder. "I need to talk to you."

"Uh," he uttered in return. His answer was apparently no, because he didn't move an inch toward her. He barely even spared a glance.

"I'm serious, Daryl."

"What do ya want?"

"It's Beth."

Daryl glanced down at her. He tried to remain impassive, but she swore she saw a hint of concern in his blue orbs.

"Well," she began when he didn't say anything. Instead, he stared at her in that quiet, brooding way he always did. "I'm worried about her. She's been hanging around one of those troubled guys that's always tormenting people. I'm afraid he might hurt her, you know?"

Daryl continued to stare her down, his outside appearing cool and collective. On the inside, however, he wanted to punch a wall. "She can take care of herself."

"I know," Maggie said quickly. "Just voicing my concern. She won't listen to me anymore. Thinks she knows best. Thought I'd tell you, so if you see her with one of them, you can stop her from making a horrible mistake."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you're still friends, right?"

Daryl shrugged. Maggie gave him a knowing grin before turning her back toward him. She added a few words of farewell, then made her way down the street. Now that Beth wasn't always around Daryl, one of the guys her age had taken to pestering her. He wasn't really subtle about what he wanted from her. Every time Beth was facing him, his eyes were never looking at her face. Beth would never really get involved with a guy that thought her boobs were her eyes, but Daryl didn't know that. Beth didn't know what she was up to either; setting up the perfect meeting for the next time Daryl just so happened to stumble upon Beth in need of a rescue from the creeper.

As if reading her mind, Beth walked down the street ahead of her with said creep in tow. Maggie couldn't have planned it any better if she had actually planned it. Beth had no idea what she was up to. Not even Glenn knew about her scheme. It was for the best anyway. Everyone in the entire town would have known by the end of lunch...

"Maggie!" Beth called as soon as she saw her. "Look, it's my sister. Sorry Todd-"

"It's Dodge, actually."

"Right," she said noncommittal before turning in Maggie's direction. However, Maggie quickly went in the opposite direction, acting as if she hadn't even noticed her.

"She looked busy. I, on the other hand, am totally free," he mused, stepping to stand in front of Beth's view.

"That's nice," she replied in the same bored tone she'd been using all day. He didn't know how to take a hint, though.

Suddenly, he grabbed her hand and pulled her close. "Why not one date?"

"I don't like you like that."

"You could learn to like me."

"I don't know," she said as she tried to jerk her hand away. He tighten his hold and placed his arm around her shoulders.

"Beth, you and I would make a great couple."

Beth didn't reply. She rolled her eyes and turned her face away when he started moving his closer. Usually Beth liked to give people the benefit of the doubt. However, for Mr. Creepy, she had yet to find one redeeming quality. The guy spent half of the day trying to find new and creative ways to look up women's skirts. And if they were wearing pants, he'd get a little handsy. His eyes were never really looking at your face. They usually looked everywhere else. When he was looking at you, it felt more like he was looking through you. All he wanted was a good screw. Any girl would do for that. Hell, even a tree would be good for him. He didn't seem all that picky.

"Hey Beth," came a gruff voice from behind them. Before either one could register who was speaking, a firm hand pried Creepy's hands away and grabbed Beth by hers. "Need ta talk ta ya."

"Daryl?" she questioned as her eyes landed upon his back. He pulled her along behind him, leaving Creepy boy alone and dumbfounded.

"Ya makin' new friends?"

"So what if I was?" she asked with narrowed eyes. "It's none of your business what I do."

"What about Maggie? Maggie's worried about ya."

"Then Maggie can tell me herself," she snapped as she pulled her hand away, causing him to come to an abrupt stop. When he turned to face her, Beth was shocked to see the obvious anger in his eyes. However, they weren't directed toward her. His eyes were directed over her shoulder and at the boy she had just been talking to. When she took a glance toward Dodge, he was glaring at them with annoyance.

"I see," she said pointedly, turning her eyes back toward him. "You're jealous."

"Wh-" he began, finally turning his eyes on her. "Jealous? Ya gotta be kiddin' me, woman."

"Daryl Dixon is jealous," she taunted over and over. When he released a low growl in his throat, she put a hand to her mouth and tried to restrain a chuckle.

"Ya don't know nothin'."

"I know you're just being an idiot."

Instead of replying, he turned away and stared off into the distance with his arms crossed over his chest. As always, Beth was right. He really was starting to hate saying that in his head. At least he never gave her the satisfaction of hearing it from his mouth. Daryl Dixon was a jealous idiot, and it was all Beth Greene's fault. Unfortunately, he didn't stick around to address the situation. He walked away in a huff, leaving Beth with a chuckle stuck in her throat. He didn't need to say it for her to know she was right, though. She could tell by the look on his face that he still cared. All she needed was to make him look in a mirror and see for himself.


	11. The One Where They Make Up

Beth had no idea how much of a flirt she could truly be. Daryl had no idea how much longer he could take watching her flaunt it in front of him, batting her eyes at the young guy Daryl sometimes shared wall duty with. He had never really cared about the boy. He was at least twenty, with strapping shoulders and dashing good looks. How he managed to look so well kept in the middle of Armageddon was a mystery. Either way, he was the perfect All-American guy. He never had a bad word to say about anyone and when he got upset, he usually cursed under his breath and walked away. The complete opposite of Daryl in every way - and the perfect person for Beth. He was exactly the kind of guy she should be with. However, just watching them talk made him glare daggers at the ground. He didn't want to stare, especially when she started getting handsy. The worst part is that he knew the kid liked Beth.

"You know, you and I should meet up somewhere besides my work hours."

"But this is the only time I have free, Ethan." Daryl made a loud grunt, causing Beth to momentary glance his way.

"That's a shame."

"A tragedy," she deadpanned.

Daryl turned his back and tuned out of the conversation. Beth was a sneaky one. She made sure to always be here when he was on duty with Ethan. He had screwed up when he acted like a jealous boyfriend a few days ago over that Dodge guy. He figured he had a right to interrupt that encounter, though. Compared to Ethan, Dodge would definitely be a downgrade. Suddenly, he found himself comparing himself to Ethan and Dodge. He liked to think he was by far better than that pervert. However, he wasn't so sure he could compare to Ethan. And yet, he just couldn't stop thinking of a million ways to rush over, grab Beth, and declare that she was his a no one else's. He didn't know what it meant, but he was getting tired of playing this game with Beth. And even if he couldn't figure out his feelings, he could at least figure out when he'd made a horrible mistake.

Maybe Ethan was better. Daryl found he didn't give a shit. He wanted his Beth back and he wanted her now.

After Daryl and Ethan's shifts were over, Beth was on her way home. Her glances in his direction didn't go missed by him. He decided to act upon it, and was soon walking beside her. He didn't spare Ethan a glance when he stared after them from the opposite direction. No words were exchanged as they walked, not even when Daryl started leading her toward his place instead. As a matter of fact, she was finding it hard to stay composed. She knew sooner or later he'd come to his senses and realize how silly he was being. She didn't need to ask what this was all about. She had a good idea that he was about to apologize and take back what he said. However, once they were behind closed doors, she was greeted with his silence and distant stare. She was about to start into a frenzy of questions when she felt his body press her against the door, and his lips conquer hers.

Beth didn't question it. She went with the feelings churning inside her, telling her to explore him with her hands. His own hands were fast, pushing her shirt over her head and quickly unbuttoning her pants. This was the first time they had ever done it on a whim. After their first time together, Beth usually initiated things by coming to his house and waiting for him half naked. He didn't seem to mind and she liked surprising him. This time, however, she was the one surprised.

Daryl pulled his lips away, their breath mingling together in a hot mess. Neither one said anything, despite the fact their eyes were intensely locked. His hands traveled to her back and he quickly unhooked her bra. Once it fell to the floor, his mouth attacked her pert nipples. Beth's head fell back against the door with a thud. Her hands found his shoulders as his hands ran along her waist to her thighs. He gripped the back of her thighs and lifted her from the ground. She didn't hesitate to wrap her legs around his waist and pull his hips tightly against hers. The friction sent a sensation through her, causing her to want them both naked ASAP. As if reading her mind, Daryl pulled back to relieve himself of his own shirt while Beth quickly went to work on his pants.

With his pants half way down his legs, Daryl strode slowly with Beth wrapped around him toward his room. Without another thought, he dropped her onto the bed, causing her to release her hold around his waist. His eyes were dark, almost as if he was on the prowl. He lowered himself onto the bed and held himself over her. He kept one hand at her side while the other pulled her pants and panties down together, having only just unbuttoned them in his haste to taste her flesh. With all of herself exposed, Beth should have felt shy. Instead, she felt desire. She pushed his pants off the rest of the way with her foot while simultaneously pushing his boxers down with one of her hands. She was always a multitasker at heart.

There was a moment where they locked eyes once more, both wondering if foreplay was going to be involved. However, Daryl was beyond the point of no return, and Beth was finding it hard to breathe. She felt hot all over, and his touch only heightened the feeling. His fingers glided over her hips, then to her outer thighs, before stopping between her legs. She willingly parted her thighs, earning a sigh of approval from Daryl as he ran his fingers over her wet core. She gently bit her lower lip as he pulled his hand away and positioned himself at her entrance. With one swift thrust, he was inside her. Her toes curled over the edge of the bed and her knees locked around his waist in a vein attempt to pull him deeper. Daryl instantly pulled out, only to push back in just as fast and deep. It wasn't long before he set himself onto a destructive pace, pounding hard and fast into her core.

Everything happened at once. Beth was rocking her hips with his, trying helplessly to keep in time with his pace, but failing. Eventually she felt herself let go completely as she hit her release. However, Daryl was still going. His face was buried in the crook of her neck and his hands were everywhere. Her hips. Her breasts. Her butt. If it was apart of her, he was touching it. He refused to stop touching her until he himself finally hit his peak. Beth found herself orgasm for the second time, her eyes almost rolling into the back of her head as she uttered his name with a string of curses over and over again. She closed her eyes and tried to let it all sink in as Daryl slowly pulled out of her and rolled onto his back beside her. She found herself wishing she had done more for him. She felt as if it had all been for her pleasure. Or at least it seemed that way until she saw the dazed, distant look in his eye when she opened her eyes and glanced toward him.

"'M sorry," he said softly, speaking for the first time since they entered his house. "'M sorry for breaking up with you. For hurting you. For being rough just then."

"Don't be sorry for that last one," she said sharply. "I liked it. It was different."

Daryl turned his head toward her with raised brows. She grinned back at him, so he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her against him.

"Does this mean we're together again?"

"As long as ya stop tormentin' me, woman."

"Me? Torment you?" she asked with shock, pretending to be surprised. "I would never."

"We'll see if ya still wanna play dumb after round two."

"Already?" she asked with a raised brow.

He pushed her against the bed and climbed on top of her. "Can't handle me, Greene?"

Beth shook her head as he kissed her shoulder. "I wanna be on top this time."

"What's with ya and ridin' me?"

"It's a better angle," she said with a wide grin. And that he couldn't argue with.


	12. The One Where Beth Moves In

**Happy early Christmas! If you don't celebrate Christmas, then happy holidays to whatever it is you're enjoying with your family!**

The whole town was alive with the sound of Christmas cheer. Beth was singing _Jingle Bells_ as she helped Glenn and Maggie decorate the outside of their house. A few people stopped to listen to her, causing Maggie and Glenn to sing along out of the spirit. Maggie was just happy that Beth was happy. It wasn't hard to tell things were fine between her and Daryl now. After all, she hardly saw her little sister these days. She suspected Daryl's house was her favorite place to be. She didn't need to be a genius to figure out what they did most together. As long as she didn't know the details, she didn't care what Beth and Daryl did in their free time.

"Maggie," began Glenn in a huff. "Why did we wait until Christmas Eve to decorate everything? Should have done it a week ago."

"Like I could ever pin Beth down to help us!" she called loudly.

"Don't blame me," Beth began as she walked to her sister's side. "Daryl and I have stuff to do."

"I bet you did," replied Maggie with a shake of her head.

"Speaking of Daryl," said Glenn, pointing with his index finger to the space behind them.

Beth turned with a smile. Daryl stopped in front of her, moved to make a romantic gesture, stopped short when he noticed Glenn and Maggie staring, then kissed her cheek instead of her lips.

"Baby steps," mumbled Maggie with a glance toward her husband.

"Public display of affection isn't for everyone, honey."

"You're right," she mused as she grabbed his chin and planted a wet one right on his lips.

"I sense Christmas is going to be better than Thanksgiving," mused Glenn as Maggie walked onto the porch to secure a cardboard Santa into place.

Beth narrowed her eyes at Glenn. Thanksgiving was still a sore subject for Daryl. Actually, the few weeks where they weren't talking to each other was a sore subject for the both of them. Things were remarkably better in the last week or so. As a matter of fact, Beth felt as if she lived at Daryl's place. She hardly ever came home most nights. Maggie didn't seem to care all that much, especially since it gave her alone time with Glenn. It was a win-win situation all around.

Once Glenn walked over to help Maggie, Beth turned to Daryl and batted her eyes in that innocent way she always did. "Somethin' ya want?" he questioned.

"What makes you say that?"

"Ya starin' at me like ya want somethin'."

"Just hopin' you'll spend some time here for Christmas."

Daryl glanced toward the house, his eyes falling over Maggie and Glenn as they struggled to untangle the lights they had borrowed from the town inventory. As a matter of fact, everything was from the town inventory. Everyone was given a few decorations for free, but had to put them up themselves. Beth had been by Daryl's house since then, and he was the only other person, besides her sister and brother-in-law, that hadn't put up their decorations yet. He didn't really plan to either.

"I might," he uttered as he brought his eyes back to her. His hands had been perched inside the pockets of his pants the entire time. He had decided to remove them and drape an arm around her shoulders casually.

"That's good enough for me." She then wrapped both her arms around him and pressed her face into his chest. He released a sigh as she hugged him. Glenn was right. PDA wasn't really his thing. However, it was hard to deny Beth a hug when she was by far the most cuddly person he'd ever known.

"Hey," he said as he placed both hands on her shoulders and gently pried her away. "I gotta go. I'll see ya tonight."

"Okay," she replied slowly. Daryl placed a kiss to her forehead before turning on his heel and dashing off down the street. Beth watched with one brow raised, her curiosity peaked. What could possibly have Daryl Dixon in a rush on the day before Christmas? Many thoughts were rushing through her head, one of them being about a present for her. She couldn't help but smile at the thought, and hoped that her own present would be something he liked.

The rest of the day passed by, giving way to a small party held at Rick's place that night. Everyone was talking and celebrating. A few people that were way too into the season began singing Christmas carols on the lawn. She couldn't really judge. She had spent the morning doing the same. Besides, it was nice to hear people be happy for a change. Everything was much happier in the Safe-Zone. And now that Daryl and her had managed to make up before Christmas, she felt 100% happier than normal.

As if on cue, Daryl appeared at her side. She had found herself outside Rick's house, leaning against the side and staring up at the stars. She glanced over to Daryl's strong form and noticed the cigarette hanging from his mouth.

"Kind of cold out here," he stated with a side glance. "And ya wearing that."

Beth glanced down at her red and green dress, the hem stopping shortly above her knees. "What's wrong with it? It's a little short, but it leaves enough to the imagination."

"I don't need to imagine."

"No," she replied with a grin. "You have a very good memory."

Daryl turned his full attention to her. Beth continued to grin at him, reaching out a hand to swipe his cigarette away. Before he could protest, she placed it between her lips and took in a large intake of smoke. She spluttered it out, coughing and hacking. Daryl stared at her with amusement.

"Here I thought I was gonna look all sexy doin' that."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Ya look just fine on your own."

Beth sighed as she dropped the cigarette to the ground. He didn't say anything as she stomped it out. She decided to assume he had more he'd smoke when she wasn't around.

"C'mon," he instructed as he grabbed her hand and pulled her along the street behind him.

"Where we goin'?"

"You'll see."

Beth released a dramatic sigh. "Do I gotta close my eyes for this surprise?"

Daryl didn't respond. He dragged her all the way to his place, stopping in front of his door. Beth stared at the door, a ribbon tied in a bow around the handle. When she glanced back at Daryl, he looked like a man that had a secret.

"I see you were hard at work decorating today," she teased.

"It ain't decoration," he said as he released her hand and leaned against the frame of the door. He crossed his arms and stared her directly in the eye. "It's your gift."

"My gift is your door handle?"

Daryl slowly nodded his head. "I want you ta move in with me."

A silence fell over them as Beth turned her gaze to the ribbon. All time seemed to stop as his words registered in her mind. A light breeze blew strands of loose hair into her face, and she swore her heart exploded. She quickly turned away to compose herself, afraid she'd start crying like an idiot. She told herself she wouldn't cry, but Daryl had just made a huge romantic gesture. It wasn't exactly the "I love you" she was hoping to get first, but it was still something special. Daryl was a private person. Asking someone to live with him and share his space was almost the equivalent to the phrase.

"Beth?" he asked tentatively. "Did I do somethin' wrong?"

Beth shook her head furiously before turning to face him, unshed tears sparkling in the corner of her eyes. "Not at all," she began as she wrapped her arms around his neck, causing him to uncross his own. "I'd love to move in with you."

"Really?" he asked as he put his hands upon her hips and pulled her against him.

"Really."

"Well then," he said as he removed one hand and pushed open the door. "Shall we go back to the party or have our own party?"

Beth unhooked her arms from his neck and stepped over the threshold. "I think our own party would be ten times more fun. Might call the cops on us."

A grin spread across his lips before he leaned close to her ear and whispered, "ain't nothin' gonna pull me away from you, Greene." He then took a step inside, pressed his lips to hers, and closed the door behind them.


	13. The One With The Morning After

It wasn't the first time Beth had woken up in Daryl's arms after a night of bliss. It was, however, the first time she woke up in her soon-to-be new home in his arms. Slowly, she sat up with the sheets tightly wrapped around her chest. She stretched out her arms above her head as Daryl started to stir. His lips were soon tracing a path from her lower back to her shoulder.

"Mornin'," he uttered against her ear in his husky, morning voice.

"Good morning," she replied dryly. She then licked her lips and turned to press them to his.

"Need ta go ta the bathroom," he said against her lips.

"Of course," she teased as she moved away. He started to stand with the bed sheet around his waist, only to stop short when he realized she was also wrapped up in it. She batted her eyes as he tried to pull it away.

"Alright then."

She raised a brow at his statement before he dropped the sheet and walked away, his bare ass hanging out for the world to see. Beth quickly covered her mouth, trying hard not to laugh. Once he was locked inside the bathroom, Beth got to her feet and quickly began dressing. Her dress from the night before was all she had to wear. It took her a few minutes to find all her clothes in the heap on the floor.

"I'm going to be cleaning for hours," she muttered as she put her hands on her hips and glanced around the room. She hadn't noticed just how messy it was until now. She never usually stayed long the next day. Daryl always had to head off to the wall early, and Beth never liked getting up until the sun was shining through the window. Now that it was, she almost wished she hadn't seen what it was illuminating before her feet.

The door opened to the bathroom, causing Beth to turn. Daryl was wearing a pair of jeans that he had hung up in the bathroom. A frown tugged at her lips at seeing him partly clothed. She had hoped to catch him exposed and off guard just once.

"That was fast."

"I usually am when its just me."

"Good for me then," she said with a smile. "I'm going to make breakfast."

"'Kay," he replied as she brushed past him and headed toward the kitchen.

Daryl's house was small. The kitchen and living room were one big room, separated by counter tops that served as seats for eating. The bedroom and bathroom were the only other rooms. The bathroom was connected to the bedroom, and only accessible through the bedroom. There was no dining room. The walls were either plastered with faded wallpaper, or were painted with plain, white paint. It wasn't fancy in any way. All the furniture was old and warn. The kitchen had a white fridge and a gas stove. The bathroom only had cold water for showering. Everything was as plain as plain could be. And the more Beth stared at the plain walls, the more she felt at home there. The more she could see herself here, sitting on the couch every evening, wrapped in Daryl's arms as they both read by candlelight. She always felt like she had to grow up way too fast since the world finally reached its expiration date. But living a life like an adult with Daryl didn't seem all that bad. It made having to grow up quickly worth it.

Once Beth had decided upon making scrambled eggs for breakfast, Daryl made his way into the living room. He leaned against the couch and watched her move around the kitchen like she owned it. Technically, she owned it now. She smiled at him every time their eyes met. After the food was finished and placed upon two plates, Beth pulled something from behind her back and placed it in front of his plate on the counter. He moved closer and noticed it was a small book of papers, held together with staples.

"What's this?"

"Its your Christmas present."

Daryl leaned on the counter and stared her in the eyes. "I don't need nothin'."

"I already made it. You'll make me sad if you don't look at it," she said with a frown.

"Wouldn't want ta do that," he said as he picked it up and flipped through it. Each page contained lyrics from different songs, and little hearts and notes as decoration.

"It's all I could think of," she said as she leaned half her body over the counter top. "Its lyrics of my favorite songs. Songs that remind me of you."

"That's sweet. Like you," he said as placed the little lyric book aside and leaned over the counter. He pressed his lips to hers briefly before taking a glance over her outfit. "Where were ya hidin' that?"

Beth stared at him innocently. "My underwear."

"That's sexy."

"You have eggs to eat."

"I'm thinkin' of somethin' else I'd like for breakfast."

"That is both hot and gross."

"The fact ya understood that says a lot."

Beth slowly shook her head. "Eat your eggs, darlin'."

Daryl gave her a half grin before moving back and grabbing his plate. It wasn't long before they were both seated on the couch, eating silently as the day slowly started to pass. This was definitely something Beth could get use to. Even Daryl was greatly enamored by spending his morning domestically. The only thing left to do was tell Maggie. Beth knew that if she could handle her being with Daryl, then she could definitely handle her living with Daryl. After all, it was a win-win situation for them both.


	14. The One Where They Say I Love You

**I know it isn't exactly a New Years special, but happy New Years all the same!**

"I can't believe my baby sister is moving in with her boyfriend," stated Maggie as she folded and refolded Beth's clothes into a trash bag. It was all they had for her to carry her things in. All Beth really had to carry was clothes, a few books and some decor she had collected over time in the Safe-Zone.

"You're not mad then?"

Maggie slowly shook hr head. "You keep waitin' for me to yell and scream that Daryl's not right. You're gonna be waitin' a long time, sweetie." She then released a long sigh. "Of course I'm worried about you. I want you to be fully aware that Daryl's got a lot of baggage. He's dealt with stuff you've never had to. You never will, either."

"I know," Beth said softly as she took Maggie's hand, causing her to drop a shirt into the bag. "I know a lot more than ya think."

"You do a lot more than I'm aware of," she replied as she squeezed her hand. "You're strong. I won't be worried about you for long."

"I'll come visit."

"Better."

Beth smiled as she gave her hand another squeeze, then grabbed the rest of her things and dumped them into the bag. Maggie shook her head as she watched her tie the bag with a string. She then began going on about impatience as they walked out of Beth's old room together. Glenn was waiting by the door, leaving Beth no choice but to give him a big hug. She tried explaining to them as she walked out the door that she wasn't leaving forever. They wouldn't listen, though. Maggie almost refused to let her go after Glenn released her into her arms. Glenn practically pried her away, giving Beth the only opportunity to dash off. She could hear Maggie calling to her, but she was too far away to answer.

"Of course, Maggie," she said softly to herself. "Whatever you say, sis."

"Talkin' ta yourself?" questioned Daryl, causing her to jump back and turn around quickly to face him.

"Don't sneak up on me like that."

Daryl shook his head before grabbing her bag and throwing it over his shoulder. "This all ya takin' with ya?"

"All I own," she replied as she turned and continued on her way to their home. "I can't wait to start decorating. Get ready to say goodbye to your boring walls. Everything's going to be brighter and full of life."

"Please tell me ya ain't paintin' my house pink?"

"Not exactly."

"Flowers? You ain't puttin' flowers everywhere."

"Well..."

"Greene," he muttered sternly.

"I'm not putting flowers everywhere," she stated firmly, rolling her eyes heavenward. "I am painting, though. Maybe purple. Depends on if I can find any paint."

"'Bout the only paint you'll find is finger paint," he said as he came to a stop in front of the door. The ribbon was still tied around the doorknob as he took hold. "I bet ya can draw some nice smiley faces everywhere. Maybe some stick figures."

Beth crossed her arms as he flashed her a grin. "Are you makin' fun of my painting skills? You've never seen me paint."

Daryl shrugged as he pushed open the door and walked inside. Beth followed on his heels, her arms dropping to her side as soon as she walked in and saw balloons on the floor and bags of candy on the couch. A smile spread across her lips as she kicked a balloon into the air.

"You surprised me again."

Daryl set the bag down in front of the bedroom door. "It ain't much. Just thought you'd wanna celebrate movin' in. It's the first day of the new year as well."

"Yeah," she said as she plopped down on the couch and picked up a bag of M&M's. "Last night they had a party at Rick's. We were too busy startin' our new year off with fireworks."

Daryl plopped down next to her and put one arm behind her. "That we were."

Beth glanced at him and saw a huge grin on his lips. It seemed like he never stopped grinning these days. "I think we do it more than Maggie and Glenn."

"I don't wanna think about them doin' it," he muttered with a shake of his head.

"Maybe its a Greene thing," she said with a grin of her own. "Us being so...energetic."

Daryl decided not to respond. He grabbed the candy from her hands and pulled open the bag. He scooped a handful into his hands before handing it back to her. Her face was all smiles and sunshine. He popped the candy into his mouth as he watched her shift through the bag.

"Whattya doin'?"

"I'm looking for a green one. I prefer the green ones."

"They all taste the same," he said as he took the bag and poured another handful into his hands.

"Not at all," she said as she grabbed a green one from his hand. "Green is sweeter."

"_Greene_ is sweeter," he repeated before pulling her close and pressing his lips against hers. Once he pulled away, he licked his lips and released a sigh. "Greene is definitely sweeter."

Beth shook her head. "You're insane," she said as she leaned back against the couch. "But that's why I love you."

Daryl stared at her as she absentmindedly looked through the other bags of candy. He had only managed to find M&M's and some mints. He dropped the M&M's in his hand back into the bag as her words repeated though his head. It wasn't such a bad thing that she said it. As a matter of fact, it gave him a reason to finally say it back. Admitting he loved something was hard, though. There wasn't many things he could honestly say he loved. Not without thinking of all the reasons why he tried hard not to love people. Beth, however, was definitely special. She was worth so much more than what he could give her. Unfortunately, she decided she wanted what he had to offer, so now he was going to make sure he gave her as much as he could.

"I love ya too."

Beth stopped pushing the candy around and turned her eyes on him. "What?"

"I said I love ya, woman," he repeated with a soft smile. "You said it first."

"I did?" she asked innocently. "I'm sorry. It just slips sometimes."

"It's okay. I should've told ya a while ago."

Beth smiled brightly before leaning her head against his shoulder. "Really?"

"Really." Daryl wrapped both arms around her and held her close. He loved her and she loved him. That was all they needed in this world.


End file.
